This invention relates to All Terrain Vehicles, specifically to an improved safety attachment which does not allow the front end of the vehicle to leave the ground enough to cause a backwards overturn.
All terrain vehicles are becoming, if not already are, one of the most popular leisure activity vehicles on the market, be it for riding the trails for enjoying the outdoors or for hunting. ATVs are also gaining popularity in their ability to aid the transportation of workers for their employment, whether to the job site or in the work assigned.
ATVs are often ridden in isolated areas such as sand dunes, deserts, and mountain areas, and are operated by all ages, young children as well as adults even though there is usually a warning of: not to be operated unless 16 years of age or older.
If ATVs are used for recreation, there are vast amounts of trails, ATV enthusiasts are making their own trails and the terrain is not always smooth and flat. There are many mountainous trails and a lot of short up and down crevices in the trails which create a definite hazard to the riders. The power of the ATVs exceeds the weight of the vehicle and with this excessive power the front end of the ATV invariably lifts off the ground. In some cases a backward mishap occurs. When 1 person drives an ATV, that person is still at risk from the rugged terrain and also the power of the ATV. The experienced person uses his body weight to aid in the manoeuvring on difficult terrain, but there is still the unexpected and the terrain can change at such a rapid pace with the speed of the ATVs, an upset from the front end leaving the ground and the ATV flipping over backwards is sometimes unavoidable. ATVs are designed for one person; some people prefer one driver and one passenger, riding on the seat designed for one person. There are after market back seats that are sold to make the ride for the passenger more comfortable but these seats are pushed further back to the back wheel base to accommodate a passenger.
With the trails being steep and rugged, there is the risk of the ATV going over backwards causing serious if not fatal injury to the driver and passenger. A passenger on the back with an after market back seat, is at even more risk than a passenger doubling on the existing seat because, the passenger is even further to the back of the ATV making the front end even lighter when going up uneven terrain. The center of gravity is now moved close to the back wheels. There are now ATVs on the market designed for 2 riders, but these too can flip over backwards in certain terrain.
If ATVs are used for hunting, usually the terrain to get to the game is uncharted and often mountainous. There again is the danger of the front end lifting up too high and going over backwards when one or two people are on the ATV.
If ATVs are used for work, the danger is still present from the same problems that plague the leisure riders. There have been numerous accidents involving the ATVs front end lifting up too high off the ground and causing the ATV to go over baclwards seriously injuring or killing the driver and or passenger. If ATVs are used for work, in most instances only one person on one machine is permitted.
The problem this Invention solves was approached in the prior art and has been partially solved. The prior art does not limit how far the front end can leave the ground. Through research on this invention, in steep terrain with one or two people on the ATV, it was discovered that limiting how far the vehicles front end lifted off the ground, this was the factor in totally eliminating any threat of a backwards flip-over.
In the prior art of Kitner in U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,756 has attempted to solve the problem of a backwards flip-over with a vehicle stabilizer attachment and has a mounting bracket that attaches to the undercarriage of the ATV to which an outrigger spring is mounted at a forward angle. A rear spring extends from the vehicle in a similar manner. Stabilizer arms are attached to the outrigger springs and a cross bar is fastened to the rear spring providing an extended footprint capable of holding the weight of the vehicle. The cross bar also prevents the ATV from flipping over backwards when the front wheels of the ATV are lifted off the ground an outrigger attached from a spring that flexes when touching the ground. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,510 B1, issued to King, which discloses a storage box apparatus for attachment to an ATV that also doubles as an anti-tipping device for the ATV. The storage box apparatus attachment serves the additional function of preventing the ATV from flipping over backwards and overturning via the bottom surfaces of the article carry channel, the carry channel lip, and the storage box unit.
On flat terrain the prior art may eliminate a backwards overturn but as the terrain becomes steeper and the front end of the ATV lifts up higher and threatens to go over backwards, the prior art of Kitner's cross bar acting as a extended footprint needs to be moved further behind the rear wheels. The combined center of gravity of the driver and a passenger, if a passenger is on the vehicle, is too close to the back wheels even with the added cross bar acting as an extended footprint, the ATV could go over backwards under extreme conditions. The prior art does not give wide spread stability if the ATV threatens to go over backwards on a angle. The trails are very uneven so this possibility is ever present.
As mentioned before, all terrain vehicles are becoming so popular in their usages, that these vehicles are used to the extreme in most instances, meaning they are being used in all sorts of terrain, they are being used by more than one person at a time and the power of these vehicles is becoming excessive.
In conclusion, combined with the steepness of the hill or terrain and the weight of one or two people on the all terrain vehicle and also the weight and the power of these vehicles, if the front end of the vehicle is allowed to lift too high off the ground in this kind of a situation, the possibility that the all terrain vehicle will have a backwards overturn is ever present.